Toe shield



S. A. WOLFE Oct. 22, 1957 TOE SHIELD Filed NOV. 17, 1955 INVEN TOR.SHEEMQN A. WOLFE ATTORNEYS United States Patent TOE SHIELD Sheemon A.Wolfe, Dayton, Ohio Application November 17, 1955, Serial No. 547,363

4 Claims. (Cl. 36-83) This application relates to a toe shield for usein toe dancing.

In toe dancing or ballet dancing the foot of the dancer must bepositioned in an unnatural and abnormal way to provide for transfer ofWeightbearing from the sole of the foot to the toes. The weight of thebody is carried upon the metatarsal heads in normal staticweightbearing, i. e., body weight is supported substantially through theball of the foot, but in toe dancing the body weight is transferred tothe dorsum, or upper surface, 'of the toes, with the joints of the toesand related joints in the foot plantar flexed to the limit of thejoints. In other words, the toes are curled under toward the bottom ofthe foot, and body weight is carried by the upper surface of the toes.

During a performance the toes must withstand con siderable strain andshock, and in an attempt to relieve the dancer from strain anddiscomfort numerous types of tee shields or toe pads have been devisedor improvised for cushioning the toes. To accommodate such pads, dancingslippers are generally used in a size considerably larger than the foot,with the padding or shield inserted in the toe portion of the slipper.However, padding is often found to pack and harden, and shields tend tomove the foot, especially the toes, out of proper relation with respectto the slipper and its especially designed arch and built-up toeportion.

The present invention provides a toe shield which eliminates all of theabove related disadvantages, and furthermore acts to position the footof the dancer in proper relation within the slipper and aids inpositioning the foot, particularly the toe portions thereof, in theabnormal condition attendant to dancing on the toes. This isaccomplished by molding a toe shield from a resilient material,preferably a plastic, with the outer surface of the shield contoured tofit snugly within the toe portion of the slipper. The shield isgenerally cupshaped to conform to the forward or toe portion of the footwhen the foot is in the abnormal position require-d by toe dancing. Thisinner surface includes a raised portion smoothly contoured or fairedinto the bottom of the inner surface, that is, the portion which isarranged to underlie the toes and adjacent forward portion of the foot.

The raised portion within the shield is located to provide a ridge overwhich the toes may be curled, somewhat analogous to gripping a round orcylindrical object with the fingers. Therefore, the shield aids inretaining the toes in proper position for "toe dancing. Furthermore, thecontoured or inner and outer surfaces of the shield are inter-related toposition the forward portion of the foot correctly with respect to theslipper, and thus guide and position the entire foot into properposition in the slipper.

It is apparent, of course, that the principals of this invention may beapplied to the design of an entire slipper for use in toe dancing orballet, and that a resilient mem-- ber having the characteristics abovedescribed may be Patented Oct. 22, 1957 incorporated in the constructionof such a dancing slipper. However, an insert type of shield is somewhatpreferred since it can be removed for cleaning and can be readilyreplaced if necessary.

Accordinglyjit is an object of this invention to provide a toeshield'for toe dancers which includes an inner surface contoured to fitthe forward portion of the foot with the foot in'position for dancing onthe toes, and also includes an outer surface contoured to fit the innersurface of the toe portion of a slipper used in toe dancing or ballet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a generally cup-shaped toeshield of resilient material having an inner surface contoured to fitthe forward portion of the foot when the foot is in equinus position asin toe dancing, and the metatarsal-phalangeal joints and theinterphalangeal joints are plantar flexed substantially to the limit ofthese joints.

A further object of this invention is to provide a shield for toedancers molded from resilient material, and including an outer surfacecontoured to fit snugly in the toe portion of a dancing slipper and aninner surface contoured to conform to the forward portion of the footWhen the metatarsal-phalangeal and interphalangeal joints 'are plantarflexed substantially to the limit of the joints.

An additional objectof the invention is to provide a slipper for use indancing on the toes, wherein the toe portion of the slipper includes ashock-absorbing member having an inner surface contoured to conform toand to support the forward portion of the foot with the toes plantarflexed for Weightbearing on the dorsal portions thereof as in positionfor dancing on the toes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, the accompanying drawings and the appendedclaims.

, In the drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective view taken from the side of atoe shield in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view showing the toe shield in plan and surroundingportions of a dancing slipper in section;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view taken from the left of Fig. 3, showing the shield halfin elevation and half in section along line V Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing a dancingslipper provided with the toe shield of this invention; and i Fig. 6 isa bottom view in section of the shield and surrounding portions of thedancing slipper, with the forward portion of the foot shown in elevationand the bone structure thereof in phantom lines.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, the toe shield is formed as a generallycup-shaped member ofmolded resilient material having an outer surface 10contoured to fit snugly within the top portion of a ballet slipper orsimilar slipper used in toe dancing. The toe portions of such a slipperare shown at 12 in Figs]. and 3, wherein the contoured fit between theouter surface 119 of the toe shield and the adjacent portions of theballet slipper are clearly illustrated. The front portion of the shieldis relatively thick, and the rearward portions thereof are of graduallydiminishing cross section, as'seen in Fig. 3, being sloped to fair intothe adjacent inner surfaces of the slipper. The inner surface 15 oftheme shield is contoured to conform to the forward portion of the footwhen that portion of the foot isin position for toe dancing, and it-includes asmoothlycontouredraised portion 16 at the bottom thereofarranged to be located beneath certain joints between the bones of thetoes and certain bone structure of the foot, as will presently bedescribed.

In order to describe properly the contour and construction of the toeshield provided by this invention, it is necessary to understand theanatomy of the foot and ankle when the foot is in position for dancingon the toes; The position of the foot when dancing on the toes is anabnormal one, wherein the ankle joint is in complete extension, with thesub-astragloid joint in slight inversion and locked. The mid-tarsaljoint is also in slight inversion and locked, and the tarso-metatarsaljoints are plantar flexed to the limit of the joints, as are themetatarsal phalangeal joints. The interphalangeal joints are plantarflexed to the limit of the joints, and body weight is borne upon thedorsal or upper surface of the toes and upon the first or distalinterphalangeal joint of each toe in the same proportion as weight isnormally carried upon the metatarsal heads in normal staticweightbearing, that is, when standing on the soles of the foot. Inaddition to being plantar flexed to the limits of its joints, the greattoe is also in slight abduction, that is, it is turned inwardly somewhattoward the longitudinal axis of the foot.

The abnormal position of the foot is a diflicult one to maintain, andaccordingly it is diflicult to teach to beginners. Furthermore, theshocks transmitted through the foot during toe dancing performances areall passed through the distal interphalangeal joints of the toes, sinceit is upon these joints, and the dorsal or upper surface of the toes,that body weight is supported during toe dancing. The position of thetoes may be likened to that of a hand when thefingers are bent inwardlytoward the palm, for instance during grasping about a rod or ball-likeobject.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the foot positioned for toe dancing isillustrated, with a dancing slipper having a stiff curved arch member 22of the usual type shown incorporating the toe shield of the presentinvention. The shield may be fixed within the slipper as a permanentpart thereof, but is preferably provided in the form of an insert-typemember which can be easily removed for cleaning or replacement.Referring to Fig. 6, the forward portion of the foot is shown asreceived in position for toe dancing within the slipper and the shield,and the forward portions of the metatarsal bones are shown at 25 beingconnected to the phalangcs 26along joints 27 which are referred to asthe tarsal metatarsal joints. The first or distal interphalangeal jointsare indicated at 28, and it is upon these joints that the weight of thebody is carried during toe dancing.

The adjacent portions of the inner surface 15 of the toe shield areshown as conforming to the outer surface of the toes, since the toeshield is molded of a resilient material which will compresssufiiciently to conform to the toes. It will be noted in Fig. 5 that theraised portion 16 of the toe shield is beneath the location of themetatarsal phalangeal joints and the interphalangeal joints, and thusthe raised portion serves as a protruding guide about which the toes maybe curled to properly position them for supporting the body weight whenthat weight is transferred to the toes as described above.

The toe shield provided by this invention may be formed from anysuitable resilient or shock absorbing material, satisfactory resultshaving been obtained by molding the shields from a blown vinylplastisol. By so molding the toe shield it is possible to contour theinner and outer surfaces thereof to accurate dimensions, and especiallyto vary the outer surface contour in accordance with different sizes ofballet slippers. Such a plastic material has good shock absorbingproperties, somewhat the same as sponge-rubber, and is readily cleansedby washing. It is also relatively inert, and thus not subject todeterioration under attack from acids formed during perspiration of thefoot.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a toe shieldfor use in toe dancing which has improved shock absorbing and otherphysical properties, and which fits snugly within the forward portion ofthe dancing slipper. The shield is contoured to fit the forward portionof the foot when the foot is in the abnormal position assumed during toedancing, and thus the foot is guided into proper alignment within thedancing slipper, and the toes are guided into proper position forbearing the body weight during toe dancing. This facilitates the properpositioning of the foot, thereby aiding the performer in keeping properbalance.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferredembodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes maybe made therein without departing from the scope of the invention whichis defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. .A shield for toe dancers comprising a generally cupshaped memberformed of resilient material, said member having an inner surfacecontoured in the normal uncompressed condition of said member to fit theforward portion of the foot from the toes rearwardly approximately tothe region of the metatarsals with the foot in position for carrying thebody weight on the dorsum of the toes for dancing on the toes, and saidmember having an outer surface contoured to fit the inner surface of thetoe portions of a slipper used in too dancing or ballet.

2. A shield for toe dancers comprising a generally cupshaped member,said member having an inner surface contoured to fit the forward portionof the foot and including a smoothly contoured raised portion shaped toconform to the sole of the foot in the area of the toes and themetatarsals when the foot is in equinus position and themetatarsal-phalangeal joints and the interphalangeal joints are plantarflexed substantially to the limit of the joints as in position fordancing on the toes, and said member having an outer surface contouredto fit snugly within the toe portion of a ballet slipper.

3. A ballet slipper for use in toe dancing, said slipper having aresilient toe portion including an inner surface contoured in the normaluncompressed condition of said toe portion to fit the forward portion ofthe foot with the foot in position for toe dancing, and said innersurface including a raised portion located to extend generally beneaththe metatarsal-phalangeal and interphalangeal joints and contoured toconform to the adjacent portions of the foot when the joints are plantarflexed substantially to the limit of the joints.

4. A shield for toe dancers comprising a generally cupshaped member ofresilient material for absorbing shocks to the foot during dancing andfor supporting the foot in dancing position, said member being of suchdepth as to fit over the forward portion of the foot from the toesrearwardly to the region of the metatarsals, said member having an outersurface contoured to fit snugly within the toe portion of a balletslipper, and said member h. ving an inner surface contoured in thenormal uncompressed condition of said member to conform to said forwardportion of the foot when the metatarsalphalangeal and inter-phalangealjoints are flexed substantially to the limit of the joints as inposition for toe dancing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,704,281 Capezio Mar. 5, 1929 1,744,122 Keeling Jan. 21, 1930 FOREIGNPATENTS 30,125/1930 Australia Sept. 2, 1931

